Cable connecter



y 13, 1930- G. c. THOMAS, JR 1,758,092

CABLE CONNECTER Filed Jan. 22, 1924 INVENTOR George C. 771 ornagfr? r BY f I a g ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 1930 warren STATES PATENT ()FFICE GEORGE C.

THOMAS, JR., OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG'NOR TO THE THOMAS 86 BETTS 00., OF ELIZABETH, NEV] JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY GABLE- CONNECTER Application filed. January 22,- 1924. Serial No. 687,788.

The invention relates to combination cable connecters and outlet boxes, and more particularly to improvements in the construction of connecters for use in anchoring electric cables or conduits to electric fixture boxes, such as improved cableconnecter of split or separable design capable of being manufactured at low cost and which positively functions to securely fasten a cable to a box, as well as produce a cable connecter which fits standard 29 round knock-out holes in boxes of presentday use and one important feature of my connecter resides in the fact that it possesses means for engagement with a wall of the box, as the bottom thereof, for clamping together the two split connecter sections with the cable therein between as well as for fastening said connecter in the box knock-out opening.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention serving to illustrate the principle and structure thereof as well as the mode of operation; and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and principleof my invention.

Figure 1 shows a top open view of an electric fixture box joined to a cable through the agency of the improved connecter constituting an important part of this invention; and Figure 2 shows an end view thereof.

Figure 3 illustrates a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of the drawing;.and Figure 4 shows a sectional view taken on the line 14 of the drawing.

Figure 5 illustrates a cluster view of the two-part connecter showing rear, side, and top projections thereof. 7

To those conversant with the art, it is appreciated how present-day boxes B are made with standard round knock-out holes H into which. the; cable G carrying wires W is fastened by connecters; and as aforesaid'it is one of the principal objects of this invention to produce simple and inexpensive connecters for fastening the cable in the knock-out openings H of the box B.

WVith reference to the structure of the cable connecter itself, it is observed that the said connecter is made in two sections and constitutes mating half-cylindrical parts such that when placed together a sleeve is formed into which the cable is introduced. The cable retaining sleeve constitutes a cylindrical part split or separated on a plane parallel to the sleeve axis thus forming an upper-half sleeve 8 and a lower-half sleeve 9. Both sleeve parts 8 and 9 are made with a rib 10 on one part, and a rib 11 on the other part. This rib 10-11 encircles the sleeve and serves to abut the box wall when the parts are assembled; and preferably I provide an eccentric shouldering portion 13 on one of the sleeve parts as at 9 which forms one wall of the groove 12 while the other rib 11 forms the other wall of the groove. This shoulder 13 is preferably made eccentric to the sleeve axis so as to permit the connecter to be more readily placed in the box opening. The box hole edge groove 12- is provided to receive the edge of the box hole and forms what may be termed box hole edge abutment means or connecter anchorage means because the connecter is anchored in the box thereby or is anchored in the box hole by other suitable means.

The structure of the cooperating parts is such that the upper sleeve section 8 is smooth from the rib 10 to the outer end thereof while the sleeve part 9 differs in that it is made with the groove 12 and eccentric shoulder 13. On the forward end of each connecter part 8 and 9 there is provided a bushing 15 against which the cable'C rests and the wires V thereof pass through when cable is fastened to the connecter and box.

Ears 17 project from each sleeve part '8 and 9, and a screw 18 slides freely through one part, as the upper section 8 in this instance, while it is screw threaded to the ear of the lower ear and sleeve part 9. Thus the upper section 8 may slide-up and downon the screw 18. The lower section 9 of the sleeve may include a leg or lifting nose 19 which is adapted to rest on the bottom of the box and produces an upward thrust on its integral connecter sleeve half section 9 when the substantially long screw 18 is screwed downwardly.

The structure of the sleeve 89 may also include a cooperating shoulder 7 made in each. half sleeve portion. Each section may have two shoulders, one in each wall and in alignment with the shoulder of the companion sleeve, tl e arrangementbeingsuchthatthe shoulder edges 7 slide into engagement with each other and serve to restrain both sleeve parts against longitudinal displacement and improves the holding ability of the connecter when assembled in a box with the cable.

In assembling the parts, the connecter sleeve 89 is inserted in the box knock-out hole H with groove 12 placed over the box wall and the rib 10l1 in engagement with the inner sin-fate f the said box wall. The connecter rea ilily pa into the box opening H. since it is insc fed without the cable, for the parts are brought together which make it smaller than the box hole H. The screw 18 and lifting leg 19 are set at an angle too the box wall bottom as shown in Figure 4, thereby causing the parts to fit loosely in the box hole when first inserted, and the cable is then inserted in the sleeve. The shoulders 7 of each part cooperate to facilitate the lining up of the two sections in the box hole thus enabling the mechanic to quickly insert the connecter, and by turning the screw 18 downwardly against the box wall B, the lower section 9 is lifted in vardly by both the screw l8 and lifting log 19., and the screw extends itself as the lower part 9 lifts upwardly thereby maintaining pressure against the box wall despite the fact that said part 9 is moving a way from the box w ll surface against which the leg 19 is hearing. The bottom of the screw and leg rub or slide along the box wall until they both reach substantially a vertical position. The upward pressure or thrust exerted through the screw and leg by the time vertical position is reached. forcibly grips and clamps the lower sleeve 9 against the cable C, and in turn jams the cable against the u 3 pa rt 8 as well as tightly presses the sleeve part 8 against the box hole edge H to fasten the cable connecter in the box.

Furthermore the action of the screw im parts a rotary motion to the sleeve causing it to secure a positively seated engagement with the knockcut box hole. As the screw 18 functions to draw upwardly on the lower sleeve part 9 resultant to the rotation of the entire sleeve and resultant to the upward thrust produced by the leg 19, the eccentric shoulder 13 maintains its bearing engagement with the surface of the box wall, and rigidly restrains the sleeve from slipping from the hole H of the box in one direction, while the shoulder 1011 prevents it from moving in the other direction and thus the connector and cable are rigidly secured to the box.

It is observed that I have produced a connecter employing one screw only for performing both essential functions, in that the operation of the screw alone and by itself forces the box hole edge abutment ribs, particularly rib 10 or other suitable connecter anchorage means, to overreach the box hole edge to anchor the connector against longitudinal displacement and to cause one sleeve section, the part 9, to press toward the other one 8 which grips the cable in the connecter. Furthermore the screw 18 itself is substantially long, it is mounted in one side of the connecter where it is convenient to reach with a screw driver and its end bears on the box wall beneath the sleeve.

In other words, the rotatable member 18 mounted to rotate in the connect-er, first acts to move one part 9 of the connecter sleeve laterally in the box hole toward the other part 8. This action grips the cable C between both parts and both parts are mounted in the box hole. Then follows further lat eral motion of the entire connecter, both parts 8 and 9, in and in relation to the box hole edge, the result of which is to seat the box hole edge between the abutment means and thus anchor the connecter against longitudinal displace ment.

hat I claim is:

1. Cable and box connecting means comprising, a box having a hole, a connecter member embodying separable parts inserted into the box hole and receiving a cable therebetween, spaced abutment means on the connecter between which rests the box hole edge. and means rotatably mounted on the connecter cooperating with the box to move one part toward the other to grip the cable and simultaneously move the connecter laterally in the box hole to seat one connecter part against the hole edge.

2. Cable and box connecting means comprising, a box having a hole, a connector member embodying separable parts inserted into the box hole and receiving a cable therebetween, abutment means on the connecter between which rests the box hole edge, said cable and box connecting means also comprising means for moving one of said parts toward the other to grip the cable and to move the connecter laterally in the box hole to render the abutment means efi'ective including a screw mounted on the first named part so as to bear against a box wall.

3. A cable and box connecting means as defined in claim 2 wherein a lifting leg is included on the part carrying the screw and is substantially parallel therewith, and the lifting leg moves against the box wall as the screw turns to aid in causing the aforesaid lateral motion.

Ill)

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4. Cable and box connecting means comprising, a box having a hole, a sleeve cone necter placed in the box hole and being split longitudinally to permit one end of the sleeve to expand to receive a cable and contract to grip the cable, spaced abutment means on the connecter between which seats the box hole edge, said cable and box connecting means also comprising means for moving one of said parts toward the other to grip the cable and to move the connecter laterally in the box hole to render the abutment means effective including a screw mounted on the iirst named part so as to bear against a box wall.

In combination with a box provided with a hole to receive a cable, of a connecaer to anchor the cable to the box, comprising a longitudinally split sleeve received into the box hole and surrounding the cable, a leg formed on one sleeve bearing against the box and adap ted to clamp together the split sleeve tightly around the cable, and means cooperating with tne sleeve for sliding the leg along the box wall to perform the said clamping operations and anchor the connecter in the box.

In combination with a box provided with a hole to receive a cable, of a connecter to anchor the cable to the box, comprising a sleeve longitudinally split to form two separable sections received into the box hole, means carried by one ction bearing against the box wall, means carried by the same sec tion bearing against the box wall for producing a rotary movement oi the sleeve and a resulting thrust through the first named means for clamping the parts together, and anchorage means to tix the connector in the box hole.

7. In combination, a box provided with a hole for the reception of a. connecter and cable, of a longitudinally split 'conneeter sleeve disposed in the hole, said sleeve split to form separable parts, a rib encircling the sleeve and abutting the box wall on one side, a shoulder partly encircling the sleeve and abutting the box wall on the other side, a screw having connection with both separable parts by being threaded into one part and loosely guided through the other part, a leg integral with one part standing parallel to the screw, the said leg and screw having their extremities seated against the box wall and at an angle thereto permitting the said sleeve parts to separate to receive a cable, and said screw adapted to be turned against the box wall to force the parallel leg and screw into aposition substantially right angular to the box wall thereby anchoring all parts together.

8. A connecter comprising, a longitudinally split sleeve including box hole edge abutment means, a leg anda screw upon one of said sleeve portions defined by the split engaging with a box wall to move said portion laterally to clamp the cable and anchor the connecter in the box hole.

9. A connecter as defined in claim 8 wherein the longitudinal split severs the sleeve and terms two parallel parts between which a cable is received, and the single screw is loosely mounted in one part, and is threaded into the other part, and the screw end is ex posed to bear against a box wall to first move the screw threaded part toward the other to grip the cable and moves both parts laterally in a box hole to establish sleeve anchorage.

10. A cable connecter comprising, a sleeve composed of two parallel parts including box hole edge abutment means, a screw threaded into one part on one side of the connecter, and said screw end being exposed to engage a box wall to force the parts together and force the abutment means against a box hole edge.

11. A cable connector comprising, a sleeve composed of two parallel parts including box hole edge abutment means, a screw dis posed substantially normal to the general diiding plane of said parts and threaded into one part on one side of the connecter, said screw end being exposed to bear against a box wall to force the parts together and force the abutment means against a box hole edge, and a lifting leg substantially parallel with the screw, included on the part carrying the screw, the end of the leg being adapted to engage a box wall and aid the screw in forcing the abutment means against a box hole edge.

12. A connecter comprising a longitudinally split sleeve forming separable sections, a circumferentially directed rib made on one section, a circumferential-Hy directed eccentric shoulder made on the same section and spaced adjacent the rib to provide a groove, a circum'ferentially directed abutment means on the other sleeve companion to the rib, a screw attached to one section and loosely working through the other, and a leg included on the section carrying the screw and parallel to the screw.

13. A cable connect-er comprising an arcuate body in the form of a cradle to support a cable, a leg extending from said body and engaging a box wall, a screw, threaded into the body cooperating with the leg to enforce lateral movement of the body to clamp the cable within the box hole and box hole anchorage means included on said body.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

Gnonen o. THOMAS, JR. 

